With Thai-made health products growing in popularity among local consumers as awareness of sustainable living and environmental protection becomes more widespread, central and local authorities are encouraging their makers to search for new, more lucrative markets.
Thai PBS World talked with Supattra Boonserm, secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about how the administration facilitates community-based enterprises in the roll-out of their health products on the Thai market and its measures to push forward aspiring enterprises on the journey of international expansion.
We also talked with Chantra Buri Community Enterprise in Chanthaburi’s Laem Sing’s District about its health products that are made of sea lettuce (Ulva sp), which is seen as a potentially sustainable source of plant-based proteins, and their aspirations to go global.
Edible green algae is very healthy. It’s high in protein, soluble dietary fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals, which are essential elements for human health. It’s also low in fat.
The protein in sea lettuce is a promising complement to meat and other currently alternative protein sources.
More than just a safety regulator for health products
Supattra said the FDA has always realized the value of local wisdom and locally sourced materials in the development of healthy food and herbal products, as well as in skincare and beauty products.
As such, the administration has worked with provincial health public offices to empower community-based enterprises through education, tools and skills to enable them produce items that meet safety standards and also have adequate quality control in place.
“We don’t just regulate and inspect the quality and safety of health products, the premises at which they are made and their advertising, but we also support community-based enterprises in producing goods that are safe and of good quality, and in registering their products. This can protect public health, while helping create local job opportunities and boosting the economy,” she said.
She noted that the FDA has provided advice to community-based enterprises that make health products on basic quality control concepts, food labeling and advertising, and facilitated the FDA registration process to provide them with convenience.
Over the past three years, more than 5,000 health products from over 600 communities covering 76 provinces including Bangkok have been registered with the Thai FDA.
The administration has also run training sessions for local public health authorities who work with community-based enterprises and other state-run agencies to help promote distribution of their products.
In addition, it has provided knowledge about innovative techniques for food preservation which can help extend product life and maintain food quality.
The FDA is planning to run training sessions for authorities attached to Office of the Royal Development Project Board (ORDPB) next year on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food labeling, and product advertising.
“We have worked closely with the ORDPB to help and support farmers under the royal projects,” Supattra said, adding the administration predicts that 59 community-produced health products under the royal projects will be registered with the FDA in 2026.
This will bring the total number of registered goods to slightly over 200.
Making the most of the community’s resources
Located in Chanthaburi’s Laem Sing District, where the Chanthaburi River empties into the Gulf of Thailand, Chantra Buri Community Enterprise produces a range of health products that are made of sea lettuce.
This coastal fishing community has been aided by Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Study Center (KKBRDSC) under the ORDPB in the farming of the seaweed.
“We want to make the best possible use of the local seafood,” the group’s leader Suphida Linthong said, explaining that natural fish waste makes good plant fertilizer.
From instant noodles, snack and skincare items, the group’s health products have been registered with the FDA, with support from the central and local authorities.
They are sold in community shops, a shop of the KKBRDSC in Chanthaburi, OTOP outlets, restaurants, and health food shops as well as on online e-commerce platforms.
“We want to make it legal. The registration can ensure that our products are safe for consumption and use, building confidence among consumers. It can also increase our competitive edge,” she said, noting that the group also showcases its products in food and health exhibitions held by the government and private sectors to promote their products to the public and potential business partners.
Since its inception in 2023, Suphida said her community has worked closely with the provincial public health authorities and authorities from the FDA.
They have given advice to improve the group’s manufacturing facility to meet the GMP and maintain food safety standards.
Sea lettuce, which is used as raw material in the production of health products, comes from the community members who cultivate the seaweed and follow Good Aquaculture Practice for Seaweed Farms or GAP7434(G)-2562.
Suphida noted that the group has also learned about required documentation, food labeling and advertising in compliance with the law.
“We pay a great deal of attention to making claims about our food products, which are classified as an alternative protein source. We have to make them truthful and not misleading. It’s illegal to make false or misleading claims,” she said, citing the authority’s statements.
She noted that education, tools and skills the community’s members have gained make a difference.
This has helped in creating local job opportunities, generating constant income for the locals and enhancing the quality of their lives.
“Fishermen can make extra money with the cultivation of seaweed. Older adults who join our group earn from make food products for sale,” she said.
Hiring locally, she added, prevents people from moving from home, which helps promote sustainable development and reduces environmental impacts associated with long-distance commuting.
It also helps improve relations with those involved, which in turn can help strengthen the community.
From local to global
Supattra noted that many Thai community-based brands are expanding into international markets. Some of the leading export markets for Thai health products are Japan, South Korea, the ASEAN bloc, and the Middle East.
Thai specialty herbal teas, snacks and food products made of indigenous rice, and food products made of Thai fruit are among the most popular items in foreign markets. The demand for beauty products made of Thai herbs including soaps, shampoos and lotions is also high.
“Skincare products from Thailand are popular. They are made of natural and organic ingredients, which reassures those who are aware of the adverse effects of synthetic chemicals on the skin,” Supattra said.
The secretary-general said the FDA is working hard to promote export regulations among community-based enterprises, including the international standard for food safety Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), organic certification and halal certification as well as labeling requirements, permissible ingredients, and ingredients to avoid in food.
Enterprises looking to export their products internationally may need to improve their process to meet certain standards, she noted, saying different countries have varying food safety standards and some also have specific regulations.
She urged them to learn and understand export regulations thoroughly to ensure that their health products meet the requirements of the target markets.
Suphida said the group’s health products have received positive response from customers, with hot and spicy flavored instant noodles the most popular.
The group plans to expand market into Europe and Asian countries including Japan, South Korea and China. It’s in process of upgrading manufacturing processes to be on par with specific standards.
“Support from the government truly takes our work to the next level. We are just a small local enterprise but able to make products that are safe for consumers. They are a source of pride for our community. Again, with professional advice from authorities on export regulations and marketing, we think we will be able to make a smooth transition to the global stage successfully,” she said.
